Wollongong Olympic came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Cringila Lions on Friday Night at Crehan Park.
Taylor McDonald and Andre Dias had the Lions 2-0 up heading into the final 15 minutes of regular time. However, Brendan Griffin and Kyle Jackson snatched a point for Olympic.
The first half started with a competitive tempo as the teams battled for some consistent possession in the first 10 minutes.
Rick Goodchild had the first close shot 19 minutes in. Olympic worked the ball through the middle of the pitch before the George Naylor Medalist lashed an effort over the top from the right edge of the box.
The Lions returned fire midway through the half. An effective press saw the side win possession high on the right, where Zucco’s skimming deflected strike rolled past the right post.
And Cringila took the lead from the resulting corner. Zucco’s in-swinging delivery met Taylor McDonald’s head at the far post where the defender directed a low nod past Olympic goalkeeper Justin Pasfield.
Cringila’s disciplined structure and patience when choosing their moments to press was causing their opponents to turn the ball over in advantageous areas.
Olympic almost equalised from a corner half an hour in. Lukas Stergiou played a clever pass towards the near post for Madonis, who fired the ball narrowly wide.
The chances became more frequent as the half went on, with Cringila coming close to doubling their advantage twice soon after Olympic’s set piece. Samuel Gulisano and Jordan Prentoski both sending shots just past the left post.
The visitors had another opportunity from a corner 43 minutes when the ball fell to Nick Littler, but he prodded the ball past the left post.
Cringila took their slender lead into halftime after a solid first-half performance.
The chance-dense tone to the match carried on into the start of the second period.
The home side had the first chance of the half as a left-sided Zucco free-kick flew wide of the left post.
Olympic substitute Joshua Alcorn almost produced an instant impact off the bench for the side. The midfielder wriggled his way into the box before hitting a left-footed striker that Lions’ goalkeeper Nikola Ristevski had to parry away.
Moments later, Cringila’s Prentoski met a left-sided cross, heading just over.
In the 67th minute, Cringila push forwards again down the left and this time the ball dropped to Harrison Tarranto inside the area. The midfielder drilled an accurate volley towards the bottom left corner, but Pasfield got down low and made the save.
A couple of minutes later, the home side had their second goal. The ball rolled across the box from right to left, where an intelligent dummy from Anthony Krsteski allowed left-back Dias to curl a right-footed shot into the right of the goal.
Krsteski then nearly had a goal of his own as his original shot from the right of the box fell back to him, side-footing a shot that went just wide of the far post.
In the 75th minute, Olympic’s Griffin handed his team a lifeline. The former Wollongong Wolves playmaker picked out the top left corner with an outstanding long-range shot that dipped over Ristevski.
Cringila looked to re-establish their lead in the 82nd minute when Yoan Ciugureanu set off on a breakaway down the right, forcing Pasfield into a low stop.
The hosts were left to rue their missed chances throughout the match as Olympic grabbed an equaliser with virtually the last kick of the game.
A long ball was hoisted up into the box, and Ristevski failed to claim it, leaving Jackson to tap home from close in.
That dramatic equaliser proved to be the last action of the match, with the points shared at Crehan Park.
Olympic take on Bulli next week while Cringila travel to Tarrawanna.
Report by Tim Gibson
